5 ways to be mindful while you work from home

Isolation, technical difficulties, a lack of motivation, low productivity, and miscommunication are just some of the challenges faced by employees when they work from home. These employees are also likely to struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

On the flip side, however, working from home can be hugely advantageous and allow you to do tasks in your preferred style, tailor your working environment to suit your productivity, and leave you with more time to spend with your loved ones.

It so happens that one of the best ways to turn your work from home into an advantage is through mindfulness.  

Mindfulness refers to the ability to be fully present in every moment, being completely aware of your thoughts and actions and as a consequence, more in control of them.

Practising mindfulness will help you be more productive, manage your stress more effectively, motivate yourself, improve your communication skills, and enhance productivity - all factors that can help you overcome the unique challenges of remote working.

Fostering mindfulness will serve you well especially in circumstances such as the current global pandemic, when working from home may be the only safe option.

Here are five ways to be mindful while you work from home .

1) Have a designated work-from-home area

Whether this is a home office or just a desk with all your requirements for work, make sure you have a designated working area. This is a vital step in separating your personal life from your work life and striking a healthy balance between the two.

Having a specific work area boosts productivity and helps you focus on your tasks. Confining your work to your work from home area is important for you to mentally adjust to working at the same location as you live.

Additionally, being able to tailor your working environment to suit you is one major advantage of working from home, so be sure to pay attention to this factor even if it may feel inconsequential.

2) Plan breaks and take them

Taking regular breaks may seem like a dent to your productivity, but in reality, it helps you be more efficient in the long run. Giving your mind regular breaks will help you focus more when it comes to work and reduce the risk of burnout.

Taking a break when you work from home should involve stepping away from your work area and focusing your attention elsewhere.

3) Set goals

Setting goals and expectations for your day helps you focus on what needs to get done without being overwhelmed by the volume of work.

Always set realistic goals and be practical about how much you can achieve during your work day.

This is especially important when working from home because there is a higher chance of all hours feeling like work hours. Remember that productivity or efficiency is not about rushing through as many tasks as possible, but about improving your performance and completing tasks with skill and without wasting time.

4) Actively practise mindfulness

Make a conscious effort to research mindfulness and put it into practice in your daily life. There are many apps for this purpose, some even tailored for a work from home schedule.

Awakened Mind is one such application that is specifically made to help you achieve mindfulness in the workplace. It is the world’s most technically advanced mindfulness app and offers a whole range of resources from guided meditations, a learning centre that provides comprehensive information on mindfulness practices and how to develop these skills, including the advanced brainwave technology of Neurosync.

Awakened Mind goes beyond temporary mindfulness and improves your self-awareness and mental performance in every aspect of life.

5) Manage your stress

Even if you feel that you work more efficiently by yourself, working from home can leave you feeling isolated. Working at an office can give you a sense of camaraderie that is useful when dealing with work stressors.

In a work from home setup, however, it’s easier to carry your work stress into your home environment and adversely impact both you and the people in your home.

By practising mindfulness you will be able to deal with your stress more productively and learn to recognise your strengths while working on your personal challenges.

How Awakened Mind can help you work from home

Awakened Mind provides you with actionable strategies on how to balance your work and personal life in productive ways and improve your overall performance in every aspect of your life.

Visit the Awakened Mind website and begin your mindfulness journey today.